The new news 24 thread

[RobT]

What's wrong with the Senator, Rob?

Heater matrix is leaking, which isn't a problem in warm dry weather, but even a hint of rain and the bugger mists up and can get really bad in a downpour. So best leave it at home as there's rain forecast. Apart from that it's great! I'll get it fixed soon or wait until after Shitefest as may have a crack at it myself. Some say it's a dash out job but others say it can be done with dash in situ. Either way I'll break something so might be best I go for the garage option.

[dollywobbler]

 

 

Been driving this tonight - the first time since I fell out with it last Saturday.

 

I removed the remnants of glass in the door and swept and hoovered all of the glass up inside, so it's all ready for the new glass to go in. Taking bets now on whether I can get this glass in, first time, without breaking it (or the main window next to it!!)

 

Good luck! If it all goes tits up, at least there is that complete door floating around... (perhaps wind the window down before starting?).

[cort1977]

 

Finally fixed hydraulic lines on the Mercedes so power steering and rear suspension are restored.   This after a couple of garages and a so-called Mercedes specialist declined.   New sections 'expertly' flared and spliced in to replace rusty pipes.  

 

And yes, that fuel line next to them is not too clever either.   That's the next job.

[barrett]

Got a new front plate for the Visa from those DMB fellers. TBH they seemed like flaky shitehawks throughout my protracted email correspondence, but the plate is bob-on (it's a dealer jobby to match the back one that they had to make up from scratch) and it makes the car look a million times better so fair play to them

[richardmorris]

There cannot be many pig noses in the uk can there? Nice colour too.

[MarvinsMom]

calling that visa pig nose is a bit strong.

 

its odd looking, as only the very best citroens are, but calling it pig nose isn't very nice, which that car is.

[HillmanImp]

That Visa rarer than mine, will cost less than mine to use as a daily driver, has a better dash than mine and is just better but I sodding love my Visa and aint selling it for no money.

[barrett]

Pignose is what they're called over here. In France they're called 'Groin' which is mostly why I got it in the first place. Still makes me lol. Groin just means 'snout' but ignore that and it's literally hours of fun.

[barrett]

And no, I think that's one of four 652 Pignoses on the road in this country. Most of the others are lhd imports

[JohnK]

That Visa looks absolutely ace!

[Kiltox]

Is it a modern BMW? That's partly why I bought the 175 quid Astra last week. Almost as cheap as hiring a car, and more comfortable for the 600 odd miles I'll be doing this weekend down to North Devon. Senator and Cavalier are both a bit broken so can't take either of those.

 

So I checked the Astra over this evening, put new wiper blades on, and filled the tank. This may have been a mistake as I'm sure there's a whiff of fuel there now, just hope the tank hasn't got a leak somewhere. Can't see any leaking out but will check again in the morning. An early start to avoid the traffic and an Olympic breakfast along the A303 will be in order, looking forward to it!

Yeah it's a 2016/16 rental - impressive engine, equipment etc but I just couldn't get properly comfy in it

[320touring]

In news totally unrelated to tonights events, 205 diesels (n/a and turbo) are now "on the list"

[Lord Sterling]

Welcome to God's country - Widnes.

The only place on earth where you close your windows to stop the smell getting in.

An old joke and not relevant any more 'cos all the factories have gone.

Where did you stay?

Lol, stayed just opposite Widnes Trade Park. I noticed/heard quite a few police cars racing up and down the dual carriageways outside the hotel.

 

Thankfully that was the only time this week I stayed in hotel sorted out via work, as I'm self employed now I noticed the hotel expenses have rinsed my weeks pay dry which has put me back financially again. Next week will be a struggle with some possible overnight stays in cars/vans. Needs must unfortunately.

 

In other news... on the way back home tonight I noticed a stricken E30 BMW on the side of the entrance to a roundabout and a slightly forlorn looking owner, I stuck my window down and asked if he needed any help, he needed a jack as his back wheel had become loose, come off and got stuck on the wheel arch.

 

We regaled tales of old cars, he was into modifying his cars and his E30 was tastefully done, engine-wise it was packing a 5.0 V8 from an E50 (?) 5-series.

 

My works Honda Civic didn't have a jack, just one of those inflation kits, so I jumped back home, jumped in the 820i SE and made my way back, but by the time I got back there were a couple of his mates who'd come down and sorted it out, but he thanked me for my efforts anyway. Anything to help an old-car fan.

 

This also gave me a chance to give the 820 a blast up on the bypass. Clear out any cobwebs and loosen up the old thing. Drivers window switch is playing up but that's easily resolved with lazy-locking until I can be arsed to change the switch.

[320touring]

Many much kudos for helping out the e30 chap Mo!

 

good the 820 got a run out too:)

[beko1987]

Today, I intend to dismantle each part of my front suspension in turn and try to work out why the fuck the steering is stiff and notchy. It must be something joint related, if I turn until it goes stiff, then sort of rock the steering it goes fine again until I turn the other way, I've been mid corner and felt it loosen then tighten

 

Hoping its something simple, I had a revelation last night too that it started doing this after I had the tracking done...

[dave21478]

Today, I intend to dismantle each part of my front suspension in turn and try to work out why the fuck the steering is stiff and notchy. It must be something joint related, if I turn until it goes stiff, then sort of rock the steering it goes fine again until I turn the other way, I've been mid corner and felt it loosen then tighten

 

Hoping its something simple, I had a revelation last night too that it started doing this after I had the tracking done...

There are only three articulations points it could be on each side....top mount bearing, bottom balljoint or track rod end. I suppose technically the inner track rod ends should be included but they dont move much and are a pretty unlikely bet.

The top mount is the hardest to check as it needs the whole strut out to get at it and spring compressors to relieve the compression placed on it by the spring.

 

However....and I am not saying it IS this, but I would be looking at the rack itself. For there to be a noticeable stiff point in the steering would require massive resistance from one of those three articulation points. A power assisted rack can exert an incredible force and it has a reasonable amount of leverage against the struts so you would need something to be seized up almost solid for the rack to have difficulties overcoming it.

Didnt you mention earlier about hydraulic fluid level problems? if the rack is failing internally it could feel like hydraulic assistance is failing, requiring more force to turn the steering wheel.

[beko1987]

You talk sense. I replaced the track rod ends, drop links and lower ball joints last year, and whilst I used shitty ebay parts I was not sure that they had failed...

 

Yep, the power steering fluid is minging, I did take 1l out and put 1l new in, but no difference.

 

Is there anything I can check on the power steering end? Or just take pics of the assembly and post them up and let the experts cast judgement?

 

If it helps, when up on stands at the front, the steering is feathery light. On the ground, stiff spots.

 

No idea about the state of the strut tops, im not taking all that off today!

 

Not even started yet, she gave me 2 loads of washing to do, and ive just put the last load out, so annoyed at that. I'll get out there in a sec

[JohnK]

As always, I've been keeping an eye on the local used car market and a cheap Citroen C5 HDi has cropped up on the radar. 110k, 'runs and drives mint mate' ... How much headache is a £400 C5 likely to give me ?

[dollywobbler]

As always, I've been keeping an eye on the local used car market and a cheap Citroen C5 HDi has cropped up on the radar. 110k, 'runs and drives mint mate' ... How much headache is a £400 C5 likely to give me ?

 

Hard to say. I found a cheap XM really wasn't much of a headache at all, and I've known folk have not much trouble with C5s too. In both cases though, ownership can be stressful if things start going wrong, and there are many things that can. D'ya feel lucky?

[fordperv]

Today, I intend to dismantle each part of my front suspension in turn and try to work out why the fuck the steering is stiff and notchy. It must be something joint related, if I turn until it goes stiff, then sort of rock the steering it goes fine again until I turn the other way, I've been mid corner and felt it loosen then tighten

 

Hoping its something simple, I had a revelation last night too that it started doing this after I had the tracking done...

Does it have a uj on the column to steering rack?? worth checking if it has

[beko1987]

Splashed a load of plus gas on that, I found it under the cowling (see my zx thread for more info). I went 20 yards up the road and it seemed a bit lighter, but still notchy.

 

Would actual grease be any better? Is it the sort of job thats better to do with the column out the car or push grease at it where it is?

[xtriple]

If the steering column u/j has rust stains on it, it's fooked. Probably... Had several over the years that have been fubar'd and changing them is always a joy... When they go, they give exactly the symptoms you describe.

[beko1987]

It looks like this

 

 

But not knowing what a clean shiney one looks like I dunno. Are they easy to get apart and clean up? Taking the whole steering column out is only a 3 spanner job apparently, no airbag FTW!

[stuboy]

Changing air filter on the mondeo and noticed this large crack..

 

Pound land epoxy glue bodgery fix it

[fordperv]

Beko you could remove the column, clean the corrosion out with wd40 or similar and grease up working it around, but as xtriple says get it swapped for a new one if you can you will notice a world of difference

[beko1987]

I found my tin of spray grease just now, so gonna have some tea and spray it liberally around the inner UJ. I did the one in the engine bay a few weeks ago, so will leave that for now. I'll then drive it about a bit next week and see if there's any improvement.

 

Improvement - Sweet, I'll crack on with trying to find a new one or two (if I can do both, I will)

No Improvement - I'll just carry on driving it, can't really do much else!

 

Where would I go for new ones? The sum of 'Citroen ZX Steering UJ' on ebay is one single pinch bolt... Would a Xsara one fit since a Xsara seems to mechanically just be a ZX? I would have the fun of wading through the Xsara-Picasso shit though which is always fun... Or are they X size, and I can just buy an X size steering UJ from anywhere?

 

Of course, if the spray grease works, I could just put a reminder in my phone to spray it every month and have done with it.

[beko1987]

Wow! Just liberally sprayed it, turning the steering wheels as I sprayed, and my god it seems lighter! Thanks for the suggestion chaps! I can still feel a slight dip in smoothness, but it seems fuck all compared to what it was.

 

I'll keep you updated with progress during the week, I only went up the road and back. Best start looking for steering UJ's. Anyone got a ZX for breaking with 2 good UJ's on?

[Bren]

 

Skirts fitted to one side of the A6. I have started on the other side.

[320touring]

We huv a squad of post menopausal wimmin attempting to sing on the train.

 

The da is starting to look stabby..

 

Thankfully next stop is wur changes

[trigger]

A day of mixed results with mine. Dad came over this morning so we started to sort Astra's running issue out but it's still no better, one minute it's revving it's bollocks off, next it's normal again, then it will over run when you turn it off so you need to stall it meaning it's probably over fueling but can't see how to adjust a Pierburg 2E3 and it misses and splutters on anything more than half throttle.

 

I think I'm going to have to admit defeat on this one and book it into a garage, that will hurt! Then we fixed the Dolomites running problem where it was missing and struggling to start, turns out that the points had closed up and the timing was a million miles out, setting all this up correctly result in a much faster and smoother car. It's transformed it now!

 

My daughter was impressed too.